Today, the International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) has presented the 2025 CSA Medal of Achievement to Dr Ambrish Mithal, a renowned Indian endocrinologist and distinguished physician and researcher. The Award was presented on the occasion of the World Congress on Osteoporosis, Osteoarthritis & Musculoskeletal Diseases (WCO-IOF-ESCEO 2025) in Rome, Italy.
The IOF Committee of Scientific Advisors (CSA) Medal of Achievement honours individuals who have significantly advanced the field of osteoporosis through their original and outstanding scientific contributions, and whose work has helped to increase understanding and awareness of osteoporosis. Candidates are nominated by members of IOF's CSA and the winner is selected by the Chair of the CSA with the endorsement of the IOF Executive Committee.
In presenting the award, Professor Eugene McCloskey, CSA Chair, stated:
"It is our great honour to present the CSA Medal of Achievement to Ambrish Mithal, a highly deserving recipient of this prestigious award. Dr Mithal is a longstanding and valued member of the IOF Committee of Scientific Advisors and the IOF Board of Governance. He is recognized as a pioneer in the field of endocrinology in India—advancing it academically, clinically, and socially—while also playing a crucial role in gaining international recognition for Indian endocrinology. He was the first to establish bone density measurement and an osteoporosis service in India in 1996, and, since then, he has continuously encouraged and nurtured the growth of bone and mineral research in the region. On behalf of the CSA, he previously chaired the Nutrition Working Group, which published the widely recognized report on global vitamin D status and the determinants of hypovitaminosis D, followed by the IOF position paper on vitamin D recommendations in 2010. He was also the lead author of the influential IOF Asia Pacific Audits in 2009 and 2013."
“We sincerely thank Dr Mithal for his unwavering commitment to IOF, his exceptional dedication to educational outreach and policy advancement throughout the field of endocrinology, and his efforts on behalf of bone health and osteoporosis prevention. His efforts to improve vitamin D nutrition in India exemplify his dedication and commitment towards improving bone health of Indians.”
About Dr Ambrish Mithal
Ambrish Mithal is an Indian endocrinologist and is currently Group Chairman and Head of the Endocrinology and Diabetes Department at Max Health Care (a group of 22 hospitals), headquartered in New Delhi, India. Dr Mithal has published widely in the field of endocrinology. He was honoured by the Government of India in 2015 with Padma Bhushan, the third highest Indian civilian award, for his outstanding contribution to the field of medicine. In 2019, Dr Mithal was nominated to the Governing Council of the National Health Authority, the apex body involved in implementing the Indian government’s ambitious population health coverage plan. He was also (honorary) President, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Gorakhpur (2019 -2023), and a member of the Governing body of the Indian Council for Medical Research (2014-2017). Dr Mithal is the recipient of many other prestigious awards and is the first Indian to be chosen for the Laureate Award for International Excellence in Endocrinology (2021) by the Endocrine Society. He was awarded the International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) President's Award in 2016, and in 2017 the Dr. B. C. Roy Award by the President of India for his contribution to the development of endocrinology in India. He is also a recipient of the NIH Fogarty Fellowship, which he availed at Harvard Medical School (1992-93), JICA fellowship (1996), Boy Frame Award of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (2004) and the IOF Amgen Health Professionals Award (2005).
Dr Mithal has been a member of the IOF Committee of Scientific Advisors (CSA) since 2003 and of the IOF Board of Governance since 2012. He serves as a member of many other national and international organizations, including the Asia Pacific Consortium on Osteoporosis (APCO). He is a fellow of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (ASBMR), past president of the Endocrine Society of India, and founding secretary, past president, and executive council member of the Indian Society for Bone & Mineral Research (ISBMR), among others.
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About the World Congress on Osteoporosis, Osteoarthritis & Musculoskeletal Diseases (WCO-IOF-ESCEO)
Held jointly by IOF and ESCEO, the WCO-IOF-ESCEO annual congress is the world’s largest forum for the presentation of clinical research and new advances in the prevention and management of musculoskeletal disorders, including osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, sarcopenia, and frailty. The WCO-IOF-ESCEO 2025 is being held from April 10-13, 2025, in Rome, Italy. For complete information visit www.wco-iof-esceo.org/
The next WCO-IOF-ESCO is planned from April 16-19, 2026, in Prague, Czech Republic.
About IOF
The International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) is the world's largest nongovernmental organization dedicated to the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis and related musculoskeletal diseases. IOF’s network includes membership committees comprised of scientific experts, 340 patient, medical societies and universities in more than 100 countries, as well as over 1100 Fracture Liaison Services in all regions of the world. The IOF network is united in its mission to prioritize bone health and fracture prevention, striving toward a shared vision of a world free from fragility fractures, where healthy mobility is a reality for all. @iofbonehealth
Websites: www.osteoporosis.foundation ; www.capturethefracture.org ; www.worldosteoporosisday.org ; www.buildbetterbones.org